Draft-rigging



Patented Mar. 28, |899.

N0.` 622,o56. s. s. MARSHALL.

DRAFT RIGGING.

(Apphcaton filed Aug. 22, 1898 n (No Model.)A

Q-H-Hmaras ATENT rric ;v

AGEORGE S. MARSHALL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,056, dated March28, 1899. Application filed August Z2, 1898. Serial No. 689,174. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Draft-Rigging, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enableothers skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which# Figure 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view through a portion of a car, showing my improveddraft-rigging in position. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view thereof, andFig. 3 is a rear elevational view of lthe follower-plate.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in draft-riggingsfor railroadcars, the objects being to strengthen said rigging, so as toresist the shock orimpact while coupling, to dispense with the use ofdrafttimbers, whereby the continuous-draft rods, if such are employed,can be attached to the cross-key close to the sides of the draw-bar, andto provide a casting to take the place of the draft-timbers, whichcastin g forms the follower-plate and also acts as a support for thedraft-rods. 'Vhen ordinary draft-timbers are employed, the same have tobe slotted to permit the cross-key to pass therethrongh and thecontinuous-draft rods have to be secured to said cross-key outside saidtimbers,-which construction is objectionable in that the frequentmovement backward and forward of said continuous-draft rods soon wear,by rubbing or chafing, the sides of the draft-timbers to such an extentthat these timbers have to 'be frequently renewed. When new timbers areintroduced, t-he rubbing contact of the draft-rods therewith isobjectionable, and this draft rods; third, in the novel construction ofthe casting employed, whereby the drafttimbers are dispensed with and Iam enabled to place the continuous-draft rods closer together and by sodoing shorten the cross-key and form a more compact structure than couldbe accomplished it' said draft-timbers were used, and other featuresreside in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of theseveral parts, all as will hereinafter be described,-and pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, A indicates the end wall of a car-body; B, the endsill; O, the draftsills; D, the dead-wood E, the shank of a coupler; F,the cross-key, which passes through the rear end of the coupler-shank,on the ends of which cross-key are arranged the continuous-draft rods Gof what is known as the American continuous-draft rigging, H, thetail-bolt of the coupler; I, the follower-plate, and J the tie-rods,which pass through said follower-plate and through the end sill anddead-wood. This follower-plate is practically in the form of a bracketand is preferably a metallic casting, which consists of a base l, fromwhich depends, preferably from its forward end, a vertical member 2,said member being preferably somewhat thicker than the balance of saidfollower-plate, whereby a greater bearing-surface will be presented tothe several members which pass therethrough. From the upper face of saidbase rise suitable lugs 3, preferably two in number, so placed as torest against the inside faces of the draftsills, to which they aresecured by means of a through-bolt 4. l

5 indicates an opening through the vertical member 2, which is designedto receive the tail-bolt of the coupler.

6 indicates openings or grooves in the outer edges of the verticalmember2, designed to receive andA support the continuous-draft rods.

7 indicates openings formed in the member 2 to receive the rear ends ofthe tie-rods G, said openings being preferably axially coincident withsaid tie-rods.

8 indicates strengthening webs or braces designed to reinforce themember 2.

9 indicates a suitable boss formed around the rear face of the openings7, whose rear face is formed at right angles to the pitch of IOO saidopening in order that the head or nut of. l

the tie-rod G will be provided with a full bearin g-face, which wouldnot be the case if said boss were omitted, as will readily beunderstood.

The strengthening-webs S are preferably formed directly in longitudinalalinement with the tie-rods G for the purpose of strengtheningthecastingon theline of greatest strain or impact, and consequently thelower end of said webs terminate in the boss 9, as is clearly shown inFig. 3.

The upper face of the base l of the followerplate outside the lugs 3 isdesigned to be placed against the draft-sills C and said follower-platesecured thereto, through the medium of said lugs 8, by the bolt 4, asbefore mentioned, and in addition ro this, in order to insure a moresubstantial fastening for said follower-plate, I provide bolts l0, whichpass through said base 1 and through said draft-sills, firmly securingsaid follower-plate in position.

I am aware that many lninor changes in the construction, arrangement,and combination of the several parts of my draft-rigging can be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without in the leastdeparting from the principle and nature of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isfl. The herein-described casting for use indraft-rigging for cars, the same comprising a base-plate above whichrise lugs for engagement with the draft-sills, and from which depends afollower-plate formed with an opening for the tail-bolt, saidfollower-plate being, also, formed with recesses in its sides to rcceiveand support draft-rods, and reinforcingwebs, substantially as described.

2. rlhe herein-described casting for use in draft-rigging for cars, thesame comprising a base-plate l, parallel lugs 3 rising from saidbase-plate, a follower-plate 2 provided with a central aperture 5,notches 6 in its side edges, and obliquely-disposed openings 7strengthening-webs 8, and bosses 9 around the openings 7, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination with the draft-sills and end sill o a car, of acoupler, a casting comprising a base-plate l, arranged under thedraft-sills, parallel lugs 3 rising from said base-plate, bolts 4 and l0for securing the casting to the draft-sills, a follower-plate 2depending from said base-plate of the casting, said follower-plate beingformed with an opening for the passage of the tail-pin of the coupler,and notches for the reception and support of draft-rods,strengthening-wcbs 8, and rods for tying the lower edge of the followerto the end sill,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 20th day of August, 1808.

GEORGE S. MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

WM. II. Soo'r'r, F. R. CoRNWALL.

